Tenerife honors Bolívar and Morazán with monuments

In Santa Cruz de Tenerife, at the intersection of the avenues of Venezuela, Benito Pérez Armas, and the Canary Islands, stands a monument to Simón Bolívar. It is a gift from Venezuela to the city, a symbol of friendship, erected in 1983. The monument is a bronze bust by sculptor Arturo Ruiz Aguilera, placed on a granite block.

Simón Bolívar (1783-1830) was born in Caracas. He was orphaned early, and at the age of 15, his uncle and guardian, Carlos Palacios, sent him to study in Spain. There he received an education befitting a nobleman: he attended salons, and learned fencing and dancing. At 19, he married María Teresa Rodríguez del Toro y Alayza in Madrid, and after returning to Caracas, his wife died of yellow fever a year later.

After returning to Europe, Bolívar lived in Paris, where he frequented theaters, salons, and meetings where new knowledge and liberal ideas were discussed.

Although Simón Bolívar was not a military man, he became the main leader of the war for the independence of the Spanish colonies in America. He inspired people with his writings and speeches. In 1810, when France occupied Spain, Bolívar joined the revolution for independence in Venezuela, led by Francisco de Miranda. But the revolution was defeated, and Bolívar fled the country. He later led the movement from Cartagena de Indias, calling for a new uprising.

In 1813, he launched another offensive and triumphantly entered Caracas, where he was proclaimed Liberator. But José Tomás Boves reconquered the country for Spain, and Bolívar was forced to flee to Jamaica.

In 1816, Bolívar began a third revolution and gained control over a significant portion of the territory. He won the independence of Venezuela by defeating the Spanish in the Battle of Carabobo.

Bolívar dreamed of a great confederation that would unite all the former Spanish colonies in America. He crossed the Andes and defeated the Spanish troops in the Battle of Boyacá (1819), which brought independence to the Viceroyalty of New Granada (modern-day Colombia). He was elected president of the new Republic of Colombia. In 1822, together with José de Sucre, he liberated the territory of the Audience of Quito (modern-day Ecuador).

That same year, after José de San Martín's departure to Europe, Bolívar led the uprising in Peru and defeated the Spanish in the Battle of Ayacucho, which ended Spanish rule in South America.

Simón Bolívar was president of Gran Colombia (1819-1830), Peru (1824-1826), and Bolivia (1825-1826). His desire for dictatorial power aroused many reservations.

In Santa Cruz de Tenerife, there is also a monument to Francisco Morazán, erected in 1982 at the intersection of Francisco La Roche Avenue and the Republic of Honduras Street. It is the work of Honduran sculptor A. Enríquez. The monument is a bust of white marble, mounted on a stone pedestal.

José Francisco Morazán Quezada (1782-1842) was born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. At the age of 10, he entered the Convent of San Francisco, where he studied Latin grammar, writing, arithmetic, philosophy, and religion.

In 1824, Dionisio de Herrera, head of the state of Honduras, appointed him secretary general. Three years later, when José Justo Milla came to power, Morazán resigned and joined the opposition.

As general of the Allied Army, he defeated Milla's troops in the Battle of Trinidad (1827) and became president of Honduras.

In 1830, he was elected president of the Federal Republic of the United Provinces of Central America (Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica). He began important reforms but faced great resistance, which led to the dissolution of the union in 1838.

Later, Morazán was president of El Salvador and from there tried to regain Guatemala, but unsuccessfully. While in exile in Peru, he returned to Costa Rica in 1842, where he briefly seized power but was captured and shot in San José.